Window valences, headrails, or cornices are all assemblies that attach to the top of windows to create a decorative appearance or serve functional purposes when used in combination with blinds, curtains, shades or other window treatment devices. For the purposes of this discussion, valences, headrails, and cornices are equivalent apparatus, and will be collectively referred to as window cornices or, simply, a cornice. Window cornices are often covered with fabric to enhance the decorative appearance thereof or to match or complement other window coverings or decor in the room.
One problem that must be addressed by cornice manufacturers is that windows and the moldings that surround them are not uniform in width. Windows come in an almost infinite variety of sizes and shapes. Therefore, manufacturers often produce and stock various sizes of cornices or custom-made cornices for each window. But stocking various sizes of window cornices consumes a substantial amount of wholesale and retail shelf-space. Moreover, no matter how many sizes are stocked, the selection would still not cover the alnost infinite range of window sizes.
Prior art methods of manufacturing custom sized cornices are both expensive and time consuming. Therefore, great effort has been expended by inventors to make window cornices that may be adjusted to various window sizes. However, these known cornices and cornice assemblies are complicated to adjust, require tools to assemble, are expensive and time consuming to manufacture, or do not otherwise meet the needs of the consumers for adjustable window cornices.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,952,069 to Hoffheimer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,033 to Adair, U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,380 to Ziemmerman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,025 to Forkner, each disclose a telescoping cornice assembly to adjust the width of the cornice. However, these disclosed assemblies and other known telescoping cornices have a limited range of adjustment, are relatively complicated to manufacture, and do not provide for the easy attachment of window fabric.
Other cornices are known that use an adjustable internal rod, known in the industry as a "curtain rod" or "pocket-rod," such as those sold under the brand name Dauphine rod, upon which a fixed length fascia board is attached. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,049 to Niemi and U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,245 to Badalamenti disclose cornices using such an internal rod. However, these internal rods must be covered by a fascia piece. And since the fascia piece itself requires adjustment to fit varying window widths, the disclosures in these patents do not solve the basic problem of creating an easily adjustable finished window cornice. In addition, in known cornices employing an internal rod covered by a fascia piece, once the internal rod is covered by the fascia piece, the internal rod becomes difficult to access, therefore making it difficult for the user to adjust the window cornice.
It is also known in the art to provide a multi-piece headrail with interlocking parts that may be added or removed to expand or contract the cornice width. One example of this type of cornice is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,002 to Levy. However, this disclosure includes a complex adjustment mechanism and is therefore not desirable.
In addition, a number of cornices employ a unitary headpiece that may be cut to fit a desired window width. Such cornices are often not desirable because the method of adjusting the length of the headrail requires a saw or other tool to cut the headrail, and some modicum of experience to achieve a straight cut. Further, the existing cornices that require assembly of the front section to the side sections using this method of adjustment have heretofore employed complicated corner joint members which require external tools and remote securing devices, such as nails or the like, to join the headrail to the two side rails. This increases manufacturing time and thus the cost of the assembly. Various cornices are disclosed that incorporate a mechanism for attaching such front and side cornice pieces. These include U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,419 to Virkler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,421 to Basmadji et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,002 to Ashbyto, U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,525 to Paeselt, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,548 to Attal. Each of these disclosures employ either complicated molds, cannot be cheaply manufactured, or cannot be easily adapted to cornices having an adjustable front piece as described above.
Finally, as noted above, customers often desire to cover their cornice with fabric to create a decorative appearance which may match or complement other window coverings or general room decor. Various ways are known to secure fabric to window cornices including the use of staples, tacks or the like. These methods suffer from damaging the fabric and being difficult to remove or replace. Moreover, these methods do not account for eventual stretching of the fabric over time, thus allowing wrinkles to develop which decrease the appearance of the fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,784 to Shepherd, U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,013 to Rozon, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,880 to Cross, each disclose assemblies for attaching fabric to a window cornice. However, neither of these assemblies allow the fabric to be neatly wrapped around the entire cornice where the fabric is provided with a desired degree of elasticity. In addition, the known adjustable cornices, employing complicated clips, corner pieces and adjusting means do not present a flat uniform exterior to the window cornice, thereby preventing the smooth wrapping of fabric around the cornice.
Therefore, there exists the need for an improved adjustable window cornice assembly to overcome the shortcomings discussed above with existing window cornices.